Apparatus for opening and pressing the seams of wearing-apparel.



w. WILKIE. v APPARATUS FOR OPENING ANDPRESSING THE SEAMS 0F WEARING APPAREL;

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I. 1911.

LQ%9,%@?., Patented Deco 4, 1191?;

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WILLIAM WTLKIE, 0F GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

APPAT'US FOR OPENING AND PRESSIN G THE SEAMS 0F WEARING-APPAREL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4, 1917.

Application filed March 1, 1917. Serial No. 151,743.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WILKIE, a British subject, residing at Glasgow, Scotland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Opening and Pressing the Seams of Wearing-Apparel, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to machines for opening and pressing the seams of wearing apparel, and it is especially applicable to open and press the seams of trousers and of sleeves of coats and jackets during manufacture. The invention resides in and comprehends the provision of certain improvements, hereinafter described at length, in or relating to the construction and mounting of the movable pressing member which cooperates with a fixed pressing member or support, as usual, and which is deslgned to be raised or lowered at will, afterhaving been positioned, to be forced toward the fixed pressing member in order to impose the desired pressure upon the work. The invention more particularly resides in the devices utilized for applying this downward pressure upon the movable pressing member and in the actuating means associated with such devices, and it also resides in the provision of an improved seam-opening device which is carried by the movable pressing member and is adapted to penetrate the seam as the garment is moved over the stationary or work-receiving member.

The invention also resides in the provision, as a whole, of-a machine of the above-described type which may be readily and quickly operated and which at the same time shall .be extremely simple in its construction while possessing a high degree of efliciency.

The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1. is a side elevation of the machine.

Fig. 2. is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3. is a perspective detached view of the arms in the operation of opening and pressing the seams drawn to an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4. is a front view of part of a machine for treating curved seams.

Upon an iron frame A a horizontal arm B is mounted fixed to the frame at one end and supported at the other endv by movable block C, the purpose of the movable block' being to allow of trousers, sleeves or other garments or parts of garments being slipped on to the arm B, and

porting the free end of the arm B when weight or pressure is applied to it. Above the fixed arm B another similar arm D is suspended on balance weighted levers E capable of being lowered onto the top of the under arm B when pressure is applied to it.

The arms B and D are preferably both of trapezoidal or similar shape with the adjacent surfaces fiat or horizontal transversely sohthat the one can be pressed flat upon the ot er.

The suspended arm D is balanced by the weights W so that it may be readily'and depressed and force the arm D down upon the arn1 B with an amount of pressure corresponding to that applied to the treadle.

As the space between the two arms will require adjustment for different thicknesses of materials, the height to which the rams Fv rise is adjustable by regulating stop screws I against which the levers F abut when in the raised position.

The rams F are hinged or pivoted and swing back into the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 1 clear of the arin D, to permit when in position sup-'- over the arm D and on de.

the arm D to be raised clear of the arm B when the operation of pressing is completed.

To the end of thesuspended arm a small metal plow or angular piece of metal H is attached which opens or spreads the seam as the leg or arm of the garment is drawn over the fixed arm B as shown in Fig. 3, the regulated space between the two arms maintaining the material in position until the pressure is applied.

The arms B and D may be steam or gas pipes b and d.

For use on curved seams as for the sleeves of coats and jackets the arms B and D are curved as shown in Fig. 4. The top arm D,

heated by with which the rams F co-act, is hung on. the levers E and the under arm B is mounted on a round shaft, both arms being designed to revolve in order to use either the longitudinal concave or convex surfaces to press the inside or outside seams of the sleeve. In all other respects, the arrangement does not differ from the one already described with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Suitable means are provided for attaching the plow H when in the reversed position.

In operation, the suspended arm D is lowered into normal position until the rams F swing perpendicularly over it and prevent it rising and leaving the desired space between it and the arm B, the block G is removed from beneath the free end of the arm B and the leg, sleeve or other part of the garment is drawn over the" arm B and the edges of the seam passed between the two arms, the plow H forcing open or apart the edges of the seam and laying them flat as shown in Fig. 3. When the material is in position, the block C is replaced and the treadle G is depressed, bringing the arm D down upon the material with the desired amount of pressure to press the seam flat.

What I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. In a garment-pressing machine, the combination of a frame; cooperating fixed and movable pressing arms mounted therein; ramming means located above the second-named arm and movable relatively to the same into and out of position to contact therewith; and means acting to force said rammlng means downward whlle in suchcontact, so as to press said second-named arm downward against the first-named arm.

2. In a garment-pressing machine, the combination of a frame; cooperating fixed and movable pressing arms mounted therein; ramming means located above and out of the path of movement of the secondnamed arm and movable relatively to the same into such path; and means acting to force said ramming means downward after having moved into said path, so as to press the second-named arm downward against the first-named arm.

3. In a garment-pressing machine, the combination of a frame; cooperating fixed and movable pressing arms mounted therein; a lever pivoted in said frame above the movable arm; a pivoted, depending ram carried by said lever to swing relatively to said movable arm into and out of position to engage the same; and actuating means for said lever operable to force said ram downward after having moved into engaging position and thereby press the movable arm downward against the fixed arm.

'4. In a garment-pressing machine, the combination of a frame; cooperating fixed and movable pressing arms mounted therein; a lever pivoted in said frame above the movable arm; a pivoted, depending ram carried by said lever to swing relatively to said movable arm into and out of position to engage the same; and a treadle connected to rock said lever about its pivot and thereby force said ram downward after having moved into engaging position, so as to press the movable arm downward against the fixed arm.

5. In a garment-pressing machine, the combination of a frame; cooperating fixed and movable pressing arms mounted therein; a lever pivoted at its forward end in said frame above the movable arm; a depending ram pivoted at its upper end to said lever intermediate the ends of the latter, said ram adapted to swing relatively to the movable arm into and out of position to engage the same; a pedal mounted in said frame; and a connecting rod pivoted at its lower end to said pedal and at its upper end to the rear end of said lever, to force said ram downward after having moved into engaging position and thereby press the movable arm downward against the fixed arm.

6. In a garment-pressing machine, the combination of a frame; a pair of oppositely-arranged levers pivoted intermediate their ends in the upper portion of said frame; a movable pressing arm pivoted to the front ends of said levers; a counter weight connected to the rear end of each lever; a fixed pressing arm mounted in said frame below said movable arm for cooperation therewith; and means movable into and out of position to engage the movable arm and operable to impose downward pressure directly upon the same when in engaging position, so as to press said movable arm against said fixed arm.

7 In a garment-pressing machine, the combination of a frame; a pair of oppositely-arranged levers pivoted intermediate their ends in the upper portion of said frame; a movable pressing arm pivoted to the front ends of said levers; a counterweight connected to the rear end of each lever; a fixed pressing arm mounted in said frame below said movable arm for cocperation therewith; .ramming means movable relatively to said movable arm into and out of position to impose downward pressure directly thereon; and means operable to force said ramming means downward when in engaging position, so as to press said movable arm' against said fixed arm.

8. In a garment-pressing machine, the combination of a frame; a curved stationary pressing arm rotatably mounted therein; a rotatably mounted curved pressing arm arranged above the stationary arm movable toward and from the, same in cooperation therewith; and means initially movable transversely of and relatively to the movable arm into position to engage the same, and subsequently movable downward to impose downward pressure directly upon said I movable arm to force it against the stationary arm.

9. In a garment-pressing machine, the

combination of a frame; cooperatitng stationary and movable pressing arms mountmeans movable initiallyed therein; and

transversely of and relatively to the movable arm into position to engage the same, and

FRANK A. DIXON, HAROLD TANNER.

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